Mine-sweeper and ship-shield.



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gmail/gita?? @l ttozmz too o JAMES W. COIN, 0F HEDLEY, TEXAS.

MINE-SVEEPER AND SHIP-SHIELD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (let. 15, 1918.

Application filed Mey 18, 1918. Serial No. 235,283.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. COIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hedley, in the county of Donley and State of Texas, have invented a'new and useful Mine-Sweeper and Ship-Shield, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is Va mine sweeper and ship shield, and one object of the invention is to rovide a device of the kind mentioned which will be thoroughly efficient in protectingVv a vessel against the disastrous effect of mines, torpedoes and the like.

Another obj ect of the invention is to provide novel means for collecting and catching mines while the sweeping process is under way.

A further object of the invention is to improve the nets and to improve the mounting of the nine-catching hooks thereof.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the z present invention appertains.

Vith the above and other ob]ects in view,-

which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l shows in side elevation, a vessell equipped with the device forming the subject matter of this application; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmental transverse section showing a portion of a vessel whereunto the device forming the subject matter of this application has been connected; and Fig. 4 is a fragmental elevation showing a portion of the net.

The numeral 1 marks the hull of a vessel. Intermediate posts 2 are located at the sides of the hull 1 in spaced relation thereto, the posts 2 preferably being located about amidship. Forward posts 3 are located ahead of the intermediate posts 2. A stem post 4 is located immediately in front of the bow of the vessel. Quarter posts 5 are located astern ofthe intermediate post 2 and are shorter than the intermediate post. Stern posts 6 are located abaft the quarter posts 5.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the interi'nediate posts 2 are connected with/the hull 1 by struts 7 and by means of crossed tension members 8 located between the struts 7. The intermediate posts 2 are connected with the hull 1 by means of a downwardly and outwardly inclined brace 9, located above the uppermost strut 7. The posts 3, 4, 5 and 6 are connected in alike way in the hull 1.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be observed that retractile springs 1.() are connected as shown at 11 with the intermediate posts 2, the springs being connected by ties 12. Figuro-2 links 14 are engaged with each other and with the springs 10. Concatenated loop shaped links 15 are engaged with each other and are engaged with the interengaged portions 16 of the ligure-8 links 14.

Upright hooks 17 are located adjacent the upper edge of thenet defined by the links 14 and 15. The Shanks 19 ofthe hooks 17 are connected by eyes 20 with the crossed portions of certain of the ligure-8 links 14, the shanks of the hooks being united by means of clamps 21 with the crossed portions of others of the figure-8 links 14. Lower hooks 22 are connected in a like manner with the figure-8 links 14 of the net, and include upstanding bills 23. Hooks 24 are secured in any suitable Inanner, as shown at 50, to the intervmediate post 2 and are provided with forwardly presented bills 25, the hooks 24 being horizontally disposed, assuming that the vessel rests on an even keel.

The construction including the springs 10, the ties 12 and other ties 51 which connect the figure S-links 14 close to the springs 10, and shown in connection with the posts 2, in Fig. 4, is duplicated adjacent each of the yposts 4, 3, 5 and 6. The posts 4 and 3 are, therefore, connected by a net 26, the posts 3 and 2 being connected by net 27, the posts 2 and 5 being connected by a net 28, and the posts 5 and 6 being connected by a net 29, all of which is clearly disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Although the various nets, such as the net 27, may be constructed as desired, the particular form of net hereinbefore described, will be found to be peculiarly useful, and to possess great strength. The hooks 17 and 22 serve to retain mines, torpedoes and the of the net and like which are engaged by the nets 26 and 27 and these hooks, further, serve as strengthening and reinforcing members for the longitudinal chains of the net. During the sweeping operation, and at other times, the hooks 24 on the posts 2 serve to collect and retain mines, torpedoes, and the like, as the same move rearwardly along the side of the vessel.

The upper edges of the nets 26 and 27 are disposed at the load-water-line, or closely adjacent to the load-water-line, whereas, the upper edges of the nets 28 and 29 are disposed considerably below the load-waterline. Since the nets 28 and 29 are lower than the nets 26 and 27, a boat can be'- put over readily on the quarter, or from the stern of thel Vessel.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is zl. A protecting net for a vessel, embody'- ing longitudinal chains; hooks adjacent the upper edge of the net and provided with depending bills; hooks adjacent the lower edge provided with upstanding bills, all of the hooks having shanks extended from chain to chain; and means for securing the shanks to certain of the chains, whereby the shanks will form connections between the chains and reinforcement for the chains., l f l 2.l In a device ofthe class described, a net comprising fore and aft chains made up of Copies of this` lpatent may be obtained for five vcents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, l

interengaged figure-8 links; concatenated links engaged with each other and engaged at their places of engagement with the interengaged portions of the figure-8 links; sup- Y ports; means for connecting the chains to the 5. In a device ofthe classI described, a.

hull; posts spaced' from the hull; approz'ii,

mately parallel struts connectingthe posts with the hull; crossed tension j members located between the struts andY connecting the posts with the hull; inclined b'racesv Icon# necting theposts with the hullandi'located above the struts Iand ,the tensionz members;

and nets 'connecting the posts. Y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

t JAMES W. COIN. Witnesses R. H. BEVILLE, HARRY BRYAN. I

Washington, D. C. 

